Oakland University Senate
Thursday, March 13, 1980
Seventh Meeting
128, 129, 130 Oakland Center
MINUTES
Senators Present: Bertocci, Bieryla, Boulos, Brown, Burke, Cherno, Chipman, Christina, J. Eberwein, R. Eberwein, Feeman, Felton, Garcia, Ghausi, Grossman, Hammerle, Hetenyi, Heubel, Hitchingham, Horwitz, Houtz, Jaymes, Johnson, Kingstrom, Kleckner, Matthews, Moeller, Mourant, Obear, Partmann, Pettengill, Russell, Scherer, Schmidt, Shepherd, Stevens, Strauss, Torch, Tower
Senators Absent: Beardman, Berger, Coon, DeMont (represented by F. Martin), Edgerton, Evans, Gardiner, Jones, Karasch, Kohn, Liboff, McMahan, Miller, Otto, Pak, Riley, Sayre, Schwartz, Shantz, Stransky, Twietmeyer, Williamson
The seventh meeting of the University Senate for the 1979-80 academic year was called to order by Interim President George T. Matthews at 3:30 p.m.
The minutes of the February 14 meeting were discussed, with Mr. Feeman calling attention to an error in transcribing the Senate resolution on presidential selection procedures. The word "while" should be added before "recognizing" in the first line of the final paragraph so that the document reads: "RESOLVED that the University Senate, while recognizing the need for confidentiality In the search process, requests..." The secretary noted the correction and promised to send a perfected copy of the resolution to the Board. Subject to such improvement, the minutes were then approved by voice vote (moved, Mr. Ghausi; seconded, Mr. Tower).
President Matthews opened the meeting with a series of reports, projections, and informal proclamations to the following effect:
Fiscal Concerns: Governor Milliken has vetoed new starts in the Capital Outlay Bill, thus frustrating yet again our hopes for Library expansion and Hannah Hall improvements. Funding projections from Lansing suggest that higher education will face stiff competition from other worthy causes for its previously predicted share of limited state revenues in the coming budget.
Enrollment: We have done remarkably well this semester and expect enrollments to hold strong in the spring. The University hopes for a two-percent growth rate next year before the expected period of decline in the mid-eighties.
Decanal Transition: Dean Torch proclaimed his intention to leave Oakland University in July to become Vice President of Academic Affairs at California State College at Stanislaus. His colleagues registered their feelings upon this announcement with interchange of pleasantries communicating a general conviction of Oakland's superiority to a frontier college in the dimly envisaged west.
A. Old Business:
1. Resolution from the Steering Committee to form an Academic Computing Committee (moved, Mr. Tower; seconded, Mr. Heubel).
Discussion of the resolution, perfected by the Steering Committee, began with consideration of amendments proposed at the February meeting.
a. The amendment to add the Coordinator of the School of Engineering Computer and Information Science Program, ex officio and voting to the membership specifications was presented (moved, Mr. Mourant; seconded, Mr. Grossman). The amendment carried by voice vote, without discussion.
b. The amendment (moved, Mr. Heubel; seconded, Mr. Hetenyi) to delete the phrase ''for all students and faculty of the University" from the third sentence of the CHARGE evoked a question from Mr. Russell about what the sentence would mean without the phrase. He felt it should remain, even though a zero level of computer literacy might well be appropriate for certain members of the academic community. Mr. Heubel observed that some Senators at the February meeting had been troubled by the broad, even authoritarian, sweep of the original wording. The amendment carried by voice vote.
c. The main motion, doubly amended, then received direct attention. Mr. Obear's inquiry about when the new committee would be formed elicited Mr. Tower's judgment that nominations for membership should reach the Senate by the beginning of the 1980-81 academic year. Ms. Bieryla asked about the Committee's relationship with the Director of Computing Services. It would make its recommendations on most issues to the Director, reserving Senate action for major policy issues. The Senate then approved the amended resolution by voice vote:
MOVED that the Senate approve the formation of a new standing committee to be known as the Academic Computing Committee with the following charge and membership specifications:
CHARGE: The Academic Computing Committee shall be responsible for advising the University Senate on all matters pertaining to the use of computers for instruction and research. It is expected to define and be responsive to the needs of students and faculty using the University computer facilities. It is given primary responsibility for devising and directing the implementation of plans to develop appropriate levels of computer literacy. It is required to prepare annually a recommendation to the Provost and President on requirements for improvements and additions in computer facilities (both hardware and software) to meet the anticipated academic computing needs for the subsequent five year period. The Academic Computing Committee shall advise the Director of the Office of Computer Services as necessary and shall assist the Director in developing services, schedules, and priorities for academic computing usage in relation to total University computer usage. It should, periodically, examine patterns of use and charge systems, and make recommendations for such modifications as may be necessary.
MEMBERSHIP: Six faculty members, one appointed as Chair, Two students, one appointed by the University Congress and one by the Oakland University Programming Society Coordinator of the School of Engineering Computer and and Information Science program, ex officio and voting Manager of Academic Computing Services, ex officio and voting : Director of Research and Instructional Services, ex officio and voting.
B. New Business:
1. Motion from the Graduate Council to recommend establishment of a Master of Science in Nursing program to be offered by the School' of Nursing (moved, Mr. Johnson; seconded, Ms. Boulos).
MOVED that the University Senate recommend to the President and the Board the establishment of a program of graduate studies in nursing leading to the degree of Master of Science in Nursing. The date of implementation of this program shall follow endorsement by the appropriate funding agencies of the State and shall be subject to the availability of requisite resources.
Mr. Russell reported that the APPC considered the MSN proposal and approved it at Its March 12 meeting. Discussion ensued, focusing on financing, staffing, and curriculum issues. Dean Felton replied to inquiries about funding by identifying State and Federal sources to which she plans to apply for financial support if the University endorses the program. She expects State funds, Federal grants for special projects, and tuition to meet expenses without diverting funds from existing University programs. She said she would never conceive of asking for internal funding for graduate assistantships in the first four years, as Federal money is available for this purpose.
Mr. Burke and Mr. Strauss wondered whether our present Nursing faculty has the specialized advanced education to teach in this program. Dean Felton reviewed the academic attainments of her faculty but explained that the MSN program, with its specialized teaching/research emphasis on Gerontology and Geriatrics, necessitates hiring three new professors; two in the first year and one in the second. The new faculty members would be fully credentialed nurse-scholars.
Mr. Russell asked whether these new positions have yet been allocated and whether any of them are soft-money positions. Mr. Obear promised to appoint the new faculty whenever the anticipated external start-up funds are appropriated by State and Federal agencies. If the enrollment projections prove accurate, Dean Johnson sees no need for soft-money positions. When Mr. Russell pointed out that the low student-faculty ratio projected for the MSN program raises fears of position-shift layoffs, Mr. Obear assured the Senate that the current State funding formula provides more than adequately for start-up expenses in such graduate programs. He noted that negotiations for one of the last two Faculty Agreements resulted in a shrinking of the overall University student-faculty ratio because of the low number of students in undergraduate Nursing classes. He expects to be presented with a request for similar adjustments when the next contract is negotiated should the MSN program be approved and implemented.
In response to Mr. Grossman's question about course and credit requirements for the MSN, Dean Felton called attention to the program summary appended to the agenda and to the full proposal which is available to all interested persons. Mr. Heubel inquired whether faculty in other areas of the University would staff topics courses in management, administration, and political issues. Dean Felton plans to use existing courses and staff whenever possible; the MSN program will be closely coordinated with other University offerings.
Mr. Green reported to the Senate on University Congress reaction to the MSN program. After discussion of the proposal, the Congress found itself divided with a seven-seven tie vote, resolved by Mr. McMahan's presidential veto. Mr. Green summarized student concerns about diversion of attention and funds from the undergraduate Nursing program to the graduate level and indicated that some Congress members felt that a graduate proposal from the School of Nursing may be premature. He thought that Congress might reconsider its decision at a later meeting and promised that Congress would provide the Senate with a written statement of its position.
Mr. Burke requested that the APPC also present a written statement, justifying its support of the proposal, in time for the April 10 meeting. Mr. Russell agreed to provide it.
C. Good and Welfare: Private Resolutions
No resolutions were offered "for the good of the order" nor, luckily, for its harm.
D. Information:
Mr. Russell reported that the ad hoc faculty committee which has been working with the Faculty Advisory Committee to prepare a role statement to help in the presidential search and to develop a list of candidates has resigned, feeling its continued activity superfluous as the Board will allow only the original six-member advisory committees to review dossiers of candidates and to participate In presidential selection activities. The Faculty Advisory Committee and Mr. Hetenyi have accepted their resignations, with thanks for their many contributions.
There will be an additional Senate meeting on April 17. The Graduate Council meeting scheduled for the same afternoon will be rescheduled.
Upon motion by Mr. Heubel, seconded by Mr. Eberwein, the Senate adjourned at 4:10 p.m.